While I’m looking for work, I’m going to try writing this series of essays. Feedback is always appreciated. My best friend died of cancer in 2018 at the age of 52. His death led to these essays in two ways: The particular kind of cancer he had was mesothelioma, which was almost certainly caused by exposure to asbestos when he was in his teens. Asbestos was widely used in construction for decades: it was cheap, easy to work with, a good insulator, and an excellent fire retardant. It took many years to recognize that it was also killing people, and...